Electron-microscopy study of Fe-implanted InP

InP implanted with 200 keV Fe ions to a dose of 1 × 10¹⁴ atoms/cm² has been investigated by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The as-implanted sample exhibits an amorphous surface region. At the annealing temperature of 650°C, nearly complete solidphase epitaxial regrowth is achieved only for annealing times greater than 1.5 h. For annealing times up to 2 h, however, the samples still contain extended defects such as stacking-fault tetrahedra of vacancy-type and dislocation loops of interstitial-type, mostly concentrated in a band which corresponds to the region of transition between amorphous top layer and crystalline substrate, as was detected in the as-implanted sample. Stacking-fault tetrahedra and loops have also been observed above and below this band, respectively. The origin of these defects is discussed.     

Study of carrier concentration profiles in Al‐implanted Ge by micro‐Raman spectroscopy under different excitation wavelengths

The distribution profile of Al implanted in crystalline Ge has been investigated by micro‐Raman spectroscopy. Using different excitation laser lines, corresponding to different optical penetration depths, the Al concentration at different depths beneath the sample surface has been studied. We have found a strong correlation between the intensity of the Al–Ge Raman peak at ~370 cm⁻¹, which is due to the local vibrational mode of substitutional Al atoms, and the carrier concentration profile, obtained by the spreading resistance profiling analysis. A similar connection has been also observed for both shape and position of the Ge–Ge Raman peak at ~300 cm⁻¹. According to these experimental findings, we propose here a fast and nondestructive method, based on micro‐Raman spectroscopy under different excitation wavelengths, to estimate the carrier concentration profiles in Al‐implanted Ge. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of the Ti diffusion process during fabrication of Ti:LiNbO3 optical waveguides

The Ti oxidation and the formation of a surface Ti-Nb-O compound occurring during Ti diffusion process in LiNbO₃ for fabricating optical waveguides have been analysed using backscattering spectrometry and glancing-angle X-ray diffraction. Results show that Ti oxidation partially occurs owing to Ti reaction with oxygen atoms of the substrate and that the Ti-Nb-O compound grows epitaxially and behaves as a real source for Ti diffusion.     

Influence of channeling effects on ion distribution and damage profiles during high energy ion implantation in Si

Nitrogen implantation has been performed in silicon [001] crystals in carefully controlled alignment conditions. The channeling effects are clearly evident when implanting in [001] and [011] directions at energies ranging from 0.6 to 1.4 MeV. Both ion distribution and damage profiles are strongly influenced by channeling effects during ion implantation. The angular region around the [001] direction has been also investigated by implanting at small angles with respect to the axis. The same kind of study has been performed by implanting at different angles with respect to the planar (011) direction. The ion distributions (investigated by SIMS) show a strong dependence upon the alignment conditions. Moreover in high energy ion implantation, the lattice damage is located deep inside the crystal, leaving the surface layer almost unperturbed. The channeling effects on the damage production have been investigated by double crystal diffraction (DCD) in the low-dose regime and by RBS-channeling experiments (after implantation at doses greater than 1 × 10¹⁵ cm^–2) and for different ion alignment conditions.A big increase in the ion ranges and a strong reduction in the lattice damage is evident when implanting along major crystal axes. No saturatíon of the lattice damage and of the channelled component of the beam has been detected if the implantation is performed parallel to the [011] axis.     

Sodium surface concentration analysis on glass by 23Na(p,α)20Ne nuclear reaction

The ²³Na(p, α)²⁰Ne nuclear reaction has been used to investigate the depth profile of Na near the surface of commercial soda-lime-silicate glasses. The depth profile of Na has been quantitatively determined (with a depth resolution of about 120 Å) without migration effects due to the measurement method. Such perturbations, which make other analysis techniques difficult to use, appear only with very high current densities of the incident beam. A brief review of the principles of nuclear reaction used to analyse the concentration profile near the surface of samples is presented. A comparison with the traditional methods is discussed.     

Atom location in complex lattices: Pb in α-Al2O3

The channeling technique has been used to locate Pb implanted into α-Al₂O₃ single crystal. The main purpose has been to learn how to obtain information about the location of an impurity in a complex structure. A Pb location is proposed according to data of full angular scans through different axial and planar channeling dips.     

A non‐destructive approach for doping profiles characterization by micro‐Raman spectroscopy: the case of B‐implanted Ge

B‐implanted Ge samples have been investigated by micro‐Raman spectroscopy under different excitation wavelengths, with the aim of gaining insights about the B distribution at different depths beneath the sample surface. The intensities, observed under the different excitation wavelengths, of the B–Ge Raman peak at about 545 cm⁻¹, which is due to the local vibrational mode of the substitutional B atoms in the Ge matrix, have been used to calibrate the optical absorption lengths in B‐implanted Ge. Then, by using these calibrated values, a very sharp correlation between the spectral features of the Ge–Ge Raman peak at ~300 cm⁻¹ and the content of substitutional B atoms has been derived. Accordingly, a non‐destructive approach, based on micro‐Raman spectroscopy under different excitation wavelengths, is presented to estimate, at least at the lowest depths, the carrier concentration profiles from the spectral features of the Ge–Ge Raman peak. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Surface and interface analysis of titanium nitride diffusion barriers

Titanium nitride films were produced on silicon substrate by ion beam assisted deposition in the alternate mode: first, thin titanium layers were deposited by electron beam evaporation and then titanium nitride was formed by nitrogen implantation at room temperature; this cycle was then iterated many times in order to obtain thicker titanium nitride layers. The obtained films were characterized with respect to atomic composition by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and nuclear reaction analysis techniques, while chemical bonding was investigated by Auger line-shape analysis. We observe that nitrogen implantation, along with the production of titanium nitride, induces silicon migration into the film. Silicon transport is connected to point defects produced by ion implantation as well as by chemical driving forces associated with silicides formation.     

Atomistic mechanism of boron diffusion in silicon

B diffuses in crystalline Si by reacting with a Si self-interstitial (I) with a frequency g and so forming a fast migrating BI complex that can migrate for an average length lambda. We experimentally demonstrate that both g and lambda strongly depend on the free hole concentration p. At low p, g has a constant trend and lambda increases with p, while at high p, g has a superlinear trend and lambda decreases with p. This demonstrates that BI forms in the two regimes by interaction with neutral and double positive I, respectively, and its charge state has to change by interaction with free holes before diffusing.